The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-11-19

l done you, en- he never went out no
mo-. Mary tended him, but the
Cun'el want tryin' to git well. wur
hankerin' arter that track of brush
ground 'longside the Piney ridge fur
cattle range. Hits on'y thousand
acre bit NV Ian, en- turn for sale, but |
hain't got no higher to gittin' hit, en-
that's wen Dildys a fodder The
Cun'el seemed like he hoped me to
want that ar range some day. Hill
be with fortin, Joe,' says he; git hit
eff you kim WANT no kinder use
atellin' me that kase l wanted that
Ian bad enough; hits fur sale yit;
dunno es I'll ever hev the luck TO own
hit. Jes' afo' he died, bout a couple
NV weeks, the Cun'el sent fur me en-
SCI: Joe Craddeck, you've been my
friend Wen | hadn't none. l hain't
gwine to git we'll, en- dunno es | keer,
but heah's sommut es will buy that
thousand-acre track; do you go on that
Ian en- no other, fur Dildy-mind you,
this ere's fur Dildy'-he stretch out
his ham en- guy me suthin'."
"Was it the pin?' inquired.
"Twan't nuthin' else, stranger"
the mountaineer retorted, with grim,
contemptuous smile. "Wen / KEN to
look he'd put the buzzom pin in my
han. Every day he'd watch me KEN
in from shootin' pa't'idges, en- ak me
fust, 'Hev you bought hit?' Seemed
! like he'd sot heart on me sellin' his
buzzom pin en- buyin' that ar land. I
hedn't the heart to dissap'int him, so l
said, I've done bought hit, Cun'el,'
Fur Dildy, don't you furgit that--fur
Dildy,' he KEEP tellin' me-"
"Why did you not buy the land?" I
inquired. Il have no doubt it would
have been a good purchase"
'Jes so, stranger, t'were fust rate
cattle ranch, but the Camel mus a
been out of his head to think scrap
of shiny glass would buy q pip's with
of anything" was the dry response,
as if the mountaineer pitied and
laughed at the hallucination. II guy
it over to Dildy, en- she wouldn't sell
hit for nuthin' savin' a book-she's
pow'ful fond of readin' sense the
| preacher at the cross roads larnt her
how to read"
The man laughed low, dry laugh
and nodded toward the girl Dildy
was surreptitiously reading an illus
trated paper rosurrected from q week S
burial in the bottom of my game bag.
She laid it down and blushed holly.
81 have been careful not to spoil it,
sir" she said, timidly. "Ithought you
wouidn' mind it ii looked at it"
you shall have it and welcome"
The color deepened in the pretty
checks; the beautiful eyes glowed.
would you like to 90 to town?'
Iwould rather stay here with plenty
Of books"
But you have books and every thing
else in town." l urged.
81 have every thing here except
books, was the simple response, with
a satisfied, rnirthful smile
Ismoked final pipe out under the
stars and thought ofDildy. Here is Il
girl" l reflected. "with what would be
Il small fortune for her, longing for
books as an unattainable treasure"
Chaotic plans and suggestions shot
through my mind, with Dildy as
central figure-pretty, blushing, unso-
phisticated Dildy-contented Dildy. A
strange reluctance held me silent. l
waited until morning to shatter the
novel happiness of content. Dawn was
reddening the misty crests of the noun
tain ridges when stepped out into the
fresh morning air.
"Mawnin', stranger" politely greeted
Craddeck. Dildy glanced round from
the over-hanging launches of an old
brindle COW, and smiled without stop
ping her milking Stranger. jest you
look over to t'other ridge. That's the
Piney ridge, an thurs the track NV
Ian the Cum el wanted me to buy wild a
bit er shiny glass"
l followed Craddeck's index finger
with my eye.
Hits that blackish-lookin' yeth this
side that passed. NV pines
Viewed from my standpoint. the
place looked brushy, ragged and bar
rem.
"Whe did the Colonel especially
want that land for Dildy?" inquired.
Dunno es kin tell you, savin' hits
cheaper than lower down; but hits five
hundred dollars-en no good a-wishin'
fur hit--dunno but 'twould be pow
full bother havin' so much Ian savin'
fur stock"
'If you had the money you could no
doubt purchase better land nearer to
you?" | suggested.
Thurs sight NV lam, but hit costs
double, en- guy the Cun'el my say so,
to git that fur Dildy-on'y the Cum ell
war sick en- thought bit NV glass mout
tex somebody's eye" and Joe Grad
deck tore off quid of tobacco from Il
huge twist in his pocket and slowly put
it in his mouth-that same grim amuse-
ment in his keen, clear eyes.
Evidently the mountaneer regarded
this legacy to Dildy half in kindly pity,
half in jest.
The Colonel knew better than any